Free and Open Source Software for E-Learning
http://www.igi-global.com/requests/details.asp?ID=563 CALL FOR CHAPTERS Proposals Submission Deadline: 3/31/2009 Full Chapters Due: 6/15/2009 Free and Open Source Software for E-Learning: Issues, Successes and Challenges A book edited by Dr. Betül C. Özkan, University of Arizona, South, USA Introduction Open source software describes programs whose source code is available under a copyright license so users can edit, change, and improve the software. Therefore, open source programs can be redistributed in modified or unmodified form. Free software is similar in concept to open source and it refers to the philosophy of freedoms users have on accessing and modifying the software. Today, these two terms are used together as Free and Open Source or FOSS. Some of the FOSS applications commonly used in education are, but not limited to, Elgg, Moodle, Sakai, Open Office, Flickr, YouTube, and various blog and Wiki programs. Open source software develops in a community of individuals or companies. Because of the importance of user participation and contribution to the development of the software, no discrimination against individuals or groups is allowed, and users are considered as co-developers. This feature also allows open source software to be fluid and progress continually. Unlike beta-testing, open source programs are not rolled out when "perfected". Use of FOSS in education has increased significantly as a phenomenon in the last decade. Thompson (2007) thinks that part of the reason can be found in Net Generation's lives. "Most "social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook have had a particularly strong influence in the lives of millions of students" (Thompson, 2007). It is a fact that most "students today arrive at their universities as experienced multi-taskers, accustomed to using text messaging, telephones, and e-mail while searching the Internet and watching television" (Roberts, 2005 as cited in Thompson, 2007). Moreover, use of FOSS encourages students to be active participants of the learning and teaching process while giving them more control over the learning interface. The implications of free and open software are even more striking for E-Learning. While virtual learning spaces are more prevalent in E-Learning, individual students become the center of E-Instruction; changing the focus from institution to learner. Students adapt distance technologies to meet their needs, rather than the students adapting to the technologies. A new form of distance education promotes "loosely coupled social software tools, mixed-and-matched and combined together to support online learning communities" (Ozkan & McKenzie, 2007). Thus, FOSS also asserts alternative pedagogies such as constructivism and connectivism which focus on learner-centered online communities rather than traditional forms of cumbersome and expensive E-Learning courses. Traditional E-learning courses structured around courses, timetables, and testing become networked-environments where learners join and learn in a variety of communities. Although use of free and open source programs in education has the potential to transform the learning and teaching environment, there is little research and understanding of them for meaningful adaptations. While technologies are out there for everybody to use freely, much attention should be devoted to the pedagogy of FOSS. Objective of the Book The objectives of this book are: # Review open and free software that are used in E-Learning P-16 # Examine pedagogy behind FOSS and how that is applied to E-Learning # Discuss best practices for FOSS through examples/cases and provide guidelines for instructors and E-Learning designers who like to use FOSS # Discuss opportunities as well as challenges in the use of FOSS # Discuss and project future trends for FOSS # Examine on-going FOSS E-learning projects Target Audience The audience of this book will be educators, trainers, administrators, practitioners, instructional designers, librarians, software developers, and researchers working in the area of E-Learning in various disciplines; in short, those who are using free and open source programs to design, develop and manage educational and training programs. This book can be adopted to support instructional technology related subjects in advanced graduate degree programs. Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following: Some of the chapters will include but not limited to: Part 1: Introduction # History of Free and Open Source Software # Understanding and conceptualizing FOSS Part 2: Free and Open Source Software in E- Learning # Open Source Operating Systems in E-Learning # Open Source Course Management Systems # Open Educational Resources (OER) # Current Research on Educational Uses of FOSS # Case Studies for FOSS projects # Pedagogical Guidelines for FOSS (constructivism, connectivism, chaos theory and other learning theories) # Social FOSS, and social networking Part 3: Opportunities, Issues, and Challenges # Best Practices for Free and Open Source Software # Barriers and Challenges to use Free and Open Source E-Learning # Management and Support Issues with Free and Open Source Programs # Digital Divide and Free and Open Software for Education Part 4: Beyond Free and Open Source: Future Trends # Pedagogy 3.0 # Future of E-Learning Submission Procedure Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before March 31, 2009, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by April 15, 2009 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by June 15, 2009. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project. Publisher This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the "Information Science Reference" (formerly Idea Group Reference), "Medical Information Science Reference" and "IGI Publishing" imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2009. Important Dates: March 31, 2009: Proposal Submission Deadline April 15, 2009: Notification of Acceptance June 15, 2009: Full Chapter Submission July 31, 2009: Review Result Returned September 30, 2009: Final Chapter Submission October 31, 2009: Final Deadline Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document) or by mail to: Dr. Betül C. Özkan The University of Arizona South, USA 9040 S. Rita Road Suite# 2211 Tucson, Arizona 85747 Tel: 520-626-9381 Fax: 520-626-1794 bcozkan@email.arizona.edu category:open category:technology